It means treating something non-Godlike as if it were God, I suppose.What does a God by proxy or a proxy God mean to you?
The problem I have with this explanation of the determinist position is that it sort of treats "the universe" like a conscious entity with desires and plans. When we talk about having control, we're usually talking about a person or at least a living being, aren't we? The universe isn't like that, as far as I'm aware.I believe that determinist, especially of the fatalist variety believe in a universe that has total control over human thought and choices. They state this clearly when they state that free will or self determination is an illusion
Not really. I assume that was extracted from one of the Free Will threads. Is the current thread a separate discussion, or should I merge it into one of those threads?[snip] ...which was posted to another thread by another poster...Do you want the post number?
I don't see why a fatalist has to believe the universe is God. For example, a Muslim can believe that everything happens according to the will of Allah, in which case they are a fatalistic theist.No James that is the Fatalist's position....
I don't see any necessary connection between atheism and one's views on the question of free will. You can be atheist and still believe in free will, or not believe in it. Atheism is a separate issue about whether you believe there is a god or gods.It is the fatalist or extreme atheist that believes that freewill is impossible.
If you want to equate the term "extreme atheist" with "non-believer in free will", why use the term atheist? Atheism exists in opposition to theism, not to the idea of free will.
You might want to try to show that atheism necessarily implies a non-belief in free will, but you'll have an uphill battle there.
A fatalist believes that the future is set. It can be set by God, or by natural forces. I don't see why you're insisting it's like a God, unless, as I said earlier, you're trying to suggest that the universe is equivalent to a God for the fatalist, for some reason.The controversial aspect of the OP is only the sheer irony that a fatalist is actually believing in a God like universe that has absolute control over human thought and choices, A proxy God that absolves humanity of responsibility for his entire existence.
It seems to me that the universe lacks many of the traditional attributes of gods.